How much do AI Threat Modelers make in Austin compared to the national average?

The national median AI Threat Modeler salary is $179,612. In Austin, COL adjustments bring the median to $185,000.

What is the career path for a AI Threat Modeler?

Junior AI security analysts start at $115,000 to $135,000 conducting structured threat assessments. Austin's COL multiplier amplifies compensation at senior levels.

Is Austin a good city for AI Threat Modelers?

Austin offers competitive compensation for AI Threat Modelers. The median salary is $185,000.

AI Threat Modeler.

Austin.

$185,000

median salary, 3% above the national average

$139,000 to $242,000. Updated for 2026.

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The numbers.

Everything you need to negotiate with confidence.

The median AI Threat Modeler salary in Austin is $185,000, 3% above the national average. Entry level starts near $139,000. Experienced professionals push past $242,000. Austin has transformed into one of America's fastest growing tech hubs, attracting relocations from Apple, Tesla, Oracle, and Samsung. That spread is your negotiation window.

Salary range

25th Percentile

$139,000

per year

Median

$185,000

per year

75th Percentile

$242,000

per year

Tap to place your salary

$139,000$242,000

How Austin compares

Austin, TX

$185,000

Cost of living: 3% above average

National Average

$180,000

Austin is $5,000 above

What you should know

If you are interviewing for AI Threat Modeler roles in Austin, here is what you are walking into. Austin has transformed into one of America's fastest growing tech hubs, attracting relocations from Apple, Tesla, Oracle, and Samsung. The city's combination of no state income tax, a vibrant startup scene, and a strong university pipeline makes it highly competitive. Salaries have risen sharply over the past five years, narrowing the gap with coastal cities. Compensation is driven by expertise in identifying attack surfaces unique to AI systems and ability to design comprehensive threat models spanning data, models, and infrastructure. Threat modelers covering the full AI supply chain from training data to inference endpoints earn top compensation. Experience with STRIDE, MITRE ATLAS, and custom AI threat frameworks is highly valued.

Junior AI security analysts start at $115,000 to $135,000 conducting structured threat assessments. Mid-level threat modelers leading system-level analysis earn $155,000 to $180,000. Senior modelers architecting enterprise AI security strategy reach $210,000 to $235,000, with chief AI security architects at $265,000 to $310,000. In Austin, cost of living sits near the national average, so the numbers you see are roughly what you keep.

Base salary is not the full picture. Bonuses of 15 to 22% are standard, with additional compensation for threat intelligence contributions and security framework development. Equity at AI security startups can be substantial, representing 20 to 40% of total compensation. And on the tax side: texas has no state income tax, which can mean 5 to 10% more take home pay compared to California roles. Property taxes are above average, however, running about 1.8% of home value. When someone quotes you $185,000, ask what the total package looks like. The gap between base and total comp is where real money hides.

On negotiation: Use the no income tax advantage as a negotiation lever. Ask employers to match 90% of a Bay Area offer and show that your net pay will actually be higher. The range for AI Threat Modelers in Austin runs from $139,000 to $242,000. That is not a narrow window. Where you land inside it depends almost entirely on whether you negotiate and how well you prepare.

Top industries in Austin

TechnologySemiconductorsClean EnergyHealthcareGovernment

Negotiating in Austin

Use the no income tax advantage as a negotiation lever. Ask employers to match 90% of a Bay Area offer and show that your net pay will actually be higher.

Common questions.

AI threat modeling must address model-specific attacks like adversarial inputs, data poisoning, model inversion, and supply chain compromise of pre-trained models. These novel attack vectors require specialized knowledge that commands 15 to 22% higher compensation than traditional threat modeling.

Experience with MITRE ATLAS and NIST AI RMF is increasingly required. CISSP or OSCP certifications combined with ML security expertise create a powerful combination, with certified AI threat modelers earning 10 to 18% above non-certified peers.

The national median for a AI Threat Modeler is $179,612. In Austin, cost of living adjustments push the median to $185,000. That premium reflects Austin's higher housing, transportation, and everyday costs.

Junior AI security analysts start at $115,000 to $135,000 conducting structured threat assessments. Mid-level threat modelers leading system-level analysis earn $155,000 to $180,000. Senior modelers architecting enterprise AI security strategy reach $210,000 to $235,000, with chief AI security architects at $265,000 to $310,000. In Austin, each step up the ladder is amplified by the local cost of living multiplier, which means senior roles pay proportionally more than in lower cost markets.

Austin has transformed into one of America's fastest growing tech hubs, attracting relocations from Apple, Tesla, Oracle, and Samsung. The city's combination of no state income tax, a vibrant startup scene, and a strong university pipeline makes it highly competitive. For AI Threat Modelers specifically, the median salary of $185,000 reflects that demand.